As a school within an urban research university, the mission of the Wayne State University School of Social Work is to transmit, develop, critically examine, and apply knowledge to advance social work practice and social welfare policy in order to promote social, cultural and economic justice for the betterment of poor, vulnerable, and oppressed individuals, families, groups, communities, organizations, and society, by:

• preparing ethical and competent social work generalists, advanced practitioners and scholars at the BSW, MSW, and PhD levels, respectively, with learning that primarily emphasizes urban settings;
• conducting research, primarily relevant to urban populations; and
• providing innovative leadership and service to the urban community and the profession.

School Goals

1. To prepare BSW students for ethical, competent entry level, generalist professional social work practice, particularly in urban settings with diverse, poor, vulnerable and oppressed individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
2. To prepare MSW students for ethical, competent advanced level professional social work practice, with a focus on interpersonal practice or community practice and social action, particularly in urban settings with diverse, poor, vulnerable and oppressed individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
3. To create and transmit knowledge through research and scholarship that is integrated in teaching and service and that advances social work practice and social welfare policy.
4. To expand mutually beneficial partnerships with our social work, social welfare, and other human-service-communities-of-interest to enrich teaching, research and scholarship, and to take a leadership role in development of service delivery systems that improve and enrich human conditions locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.
5. To foster a commitment to continuing education, maintaining competence in practice, and seeking opportunities for renewal and advancement within the profession.

BSW Program Goals

1. To prepare BSW students for ethical, competent entry level, generalist professional social work practice, particularly in urban settings with diverse, poor, vulnerable and oppressed individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
2. To foster a commitment to knowledge development, innovative leadership in service delivery systems, continuing education, maintaining competence in practice, and seeking opportunities for renewal and advancement within the profession.

MSW Program Goals

1. To prepare MSW students for ethical, competent advanced level professional social work practice with a focus on interpersonal practice or community practice and social action, particularly in urban settings with diverse, poor, vulnerable and oppressed individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
2. To foster a commitment to knowledge development, innovative leadership in service delivery systems, continuing education, maintaining competence in practice, and seeking opportunities for renewal and advancement within the profession.